Improvement in ore-separators



S. THOMAS. Ore-Separators.

No. 200.360. Paten'fecl'lfeb-1.2,1878. f

` i W l n t' .PETERS, RHOTO-LITHGFFNER. WASHINGTON, Dl)V UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

SEPTIMUS THOMAS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PNNSYLVANIA.

- IMPROVEMENT yIN o REsE-|=ARAT0RS.V

4 Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,360, dated February 12, 1878 application led February 16, 1877.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SEPTIMUs THoMAs, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Processes and Mechanism for Separatin gMi neral Substances, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to certain` improvements in machines for separating impurities from coal, ores, te., such as described in the patent granted to me on the 6th day of April, A. D. 1875, the object of my present invention being to simplify the construction and improve thejoperation of a machine o f this class.

This object I attain in the manner hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a longitudinal vertical section of my improved separating-machine and Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, detached views, drawny to an enlarged scale, of parts of the machine.

Between two substantialframes, A, is hinged yat au a frame, B, which, by means of a jointed rod, a, and nut a', can be adjusted Ato any desired inclination. The frame B carries an inclined plane, d, of stone or other material best adapted tothe mineral to be operated on. Below the inclined plane dis a second plane, e, there being between the two planes an opening, f, and below the latter an inclined chute, h, secured to the plane c, the latter being carried by the frame B. v To the frame B is suspended the upper end of a similar frame, B', having planes d and c', an opening, f', between them, and an inclined chute, h', the lower end of the said frameB being suspended from a cross-bar of the frameA by means of a jointed rod, b, having a nut, b', so that by turning the nut the frame can be adjusted to different inclinations independently of the upper frame. Near the top of the frame A is an inclined platform, F, down which the broken coal, ore, or other granular material is permitted to pass to the feeder, the latter consisting of a slide, e', arranged immediately adjacent to and extending across ,the whole width of the upper end of the plane d. A vertical reciprocating movement is imparted` to the slide by the eccentric j and rod j', and the said slide is caused to operate in conjunction with a hinged section, m, of the platform F and an adjustable gate, n, the parts being arranged in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and`2, so that when the slide i is depressed, as in Fig. l, the material can pass beneath the gate and down the section m,- but when the slide is raised so as to deliver the material' onto the plane d, the section-m is so close to thegatefn that the passage of the material is prevented,

Immediately over and extending across the upper end of the plane d is a perforated pipe, y

I, for discharging a number of small streams of water onto the said plane d near the upper end.

As regards the planes d and d', they must, vas before remarked, be made of asubstance best adapted to the material to be separated.

For separating broken coal, for instance, they may consist of slate, marble, or other stone, as

described in my former patent 5 but for sepa-- retarded tothe same extent as the slaty matter, and acquire greater velocity, and pass across the opening between the planes, as described in my former patent.

In separating ores, &c., however, with a cast-iron or other suitable plane, it is the valuable portion of the ore which is retarded and falls through the opening f, the waste portions v passing the opening. It will thus be seen that, while the process is substantially the same in both cases, the character of those portions of the material treated which pass through the opening f depends upon the nature of the material itself.

I wish it to be understood, however, that I do not confine myself to any specific material whereofto make theinclinedplanes. They may, for instance, be made of cast-iron, or of wood covered with plates of cast or sheet iron, or removable slabs of stone or other material suitable for the mineral to be separated. In most cases, however, I nd it advisable to cause water to constantly iow down the planes, for the purpose of maintaining the surface in proper retarding condition.

The slide i is reciprocated at a proper speed for permitting the granularmaterialto be deposited on the 4upper end of 4the iirst plane cl in such quantities that a thin layer of each particle in contact with the surface of Ithe plane will slide and not roll down the latter.

As the material which passes through the opening f is still somewhat mixed, however, I direct it, by the chute h, to the second plane d of theframeB, so thatthere maybe afurthe'r separation, and a third or even fourth plane may be employed in some cases. c "By inclining ,the chute 7L for directingthe material from one plane to the, other in a dif` rection the reverse of the.inclination of the planes,l `the `material is delivered tothe lower plane with comparative uniformity; but, in order to insure the proper sliding of, the materialdown. the second plane, I 'place near"l the topr ofthe same agate, s, Figs. 1 andF "3, to which a vertical reciprocating motion isimfA parted from the eccentric j through the medium of the lever J and rod J.y This gate serves to collect the material at the upper end of the plane d', and, when open, to permitthe same to pass` down the plane ini the proper condition.' y' 4 To prevent such al slow movement at the startfas would render the material liable to be caught under the gate 'in its descent, I vmake, the head ofthe plane d more steeply inclined thanthe body ofthe same. u y Y 'i 5 I have found that it is important in many cases to arrange the lower planes at a dierent inclination to that-of the plane above hence.

the frames B andfB' are provided :with sepa# rateapplianees for independent adjustment. A,It isfalso important that provision should bemade for4 enlargingor contracting the openy ing. fbetweenthe two planes of each frame, and for@ varying the relative vertical positions of the adjacent edges of the same. This I accomplish by the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Jframes B B'.

. It Will thus be seen that by turning the nuts v the upper ends of the planes e c' can be elevated 'or depressed, while by turning the nuts P said upper ends may be caused to approach or recede from the lower ends of the planes d and d..

"I claim as my invention-QLv F, hinged section m, `and a vertically-reciprog itsinclined plane d.

' eating slide 4or gate, i, withfthe'frame and,

,2ly The combination of th'e frame B and its inclined 'plane cl,l and the vertically-reciprocating slide with the platform F,.its"hii1ged section/m, and the gate n, asdescribed.

3. The combination ofthe frame B,`with its inclined planes d and e, leaving an intern'i'edig` ate opening,`f, 'and the inclined chute h, with" the frame B,Aits planes and opening. ,i p

4L The combination of the planes d and@ v leaving an intermediate opening, f, withth'e plane d and the reciprocating gate s. ju

5. The combination o'f the frame B, carrying the' planes d e, with the frameBcarryin'g the` planes d e', the two frames. being independently adjustable at different inclinations.' i r In testimony)whereof' I have signed my naine to thisv specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

. i SEPHMUS THOMes 11 HERMANN Mon'ssnnn, AHARRY SMITH.A l 

